Planned changes to the UK Highway Code focusing on the operation of autonomous vehicles have been announced. The move has been made to help “ensure the first wave of self-driving technology will be used safely. 

The update sets out that while travelling in self-driving mode, motorists must be ready to resume driving promptly when alerted to do so. However, perhaps the headline grabbing change is a section that allows content unrelated to driving on in-car display screens while a self-driving system is operational. Mobile phone use is however still prohibited as the government believes this poses a greater risk of distraction.

The UK government continues to develop a full legal framework for self-driving vehicles which is expected in 2025. 

Reacting to the news, Thatcham Research chief research strategy officer Matthew Avery said, "This is another notable landmark on our journey towards safe automated driving in the UK. Education is a key enabler of safe adoption, and as such we welcome the announcement's focus on ensuring that drivers understand their legal obligations behind the wheel of any vehicle described as having 'self-driving capability.”

He added, "Although automation will ultimately make our roads safer, accidents will still occur. Therefore, data must be recorded that shows who was in control at the time of a collision, however minor, and this data must be openly accessible to all stakeholders, not only the carmakers."

“The question of who pays when an Automated vehicle crashes remains unclear. Carmakers and insurers will work together to handle claims where the vehicle is proven to be in self-driving mode.  The provision of data will be vital to making sense of collisions and ensuring that legal wrangling does not put a brake on adoption. As a clear communication to the consumer, the announcement’s focus on the driver’s legal responsibilities is important, especially when it comes to taking back control from the system.”

“We are also pleased to see that the proposed changes will not permit mobile phone use, and instead only allow use of the vehicle’s infotainment system – which means the self-driving system can issue a warning as required and bring the driver back into the loop promptly.”